


Home is where the Heart is

by Griffindork



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F, i just feel a lot when it comes to charity and family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 08:38:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20255293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Griffindork/pseuds/Griffindork
Summary: There are boxes piled on boxes stacked on boxes. Vanessa looks at one leaning tower threateningly as it wobbles when Debbie rushes past. It stables and she skips past it to put her own box amongst the growing dump.





	Home is where the Heart is

**Author's Note:**

> so I wrote this like months ago never posted and now they've actually moved in the show but seeing as we saw nothing of it..

There are boxes piled on boxes stacked on boxes. Vanessa looks at one leaning tower threateningly as it wobbles when Debbie rushes past. It stables and she skips past it to put her own box amongst the growing dump.

“I thought you downsized when you moved into the Woolie?” Debbie’s voice comes out muffled behind the clump of once folded blankets she carries. She throws them on top of a box and turns to face Vanessa with her arms folded.

“I did.” Vanessa answers, her own arms folding as she surveys the mess. “This is all your mums.”

Debbie snorts. “Sounds about right.” She looks from one box labeled ‘clothes’ to another and then another. “She’s not cut down then?”

“Erm, excuse me?” One pile of boxes says in faux insult. “This is downsized, thank you.” Debbie watches with a frown as her mum crawls out from hiding and leans back on her heels to stare at them incredulously. “And this isn’t all mine. Do those blankets look like something I would buy?”

Debbie looks down at the yellow and blue and green and pink pile she’d just carried over from the pub and rolls her eyes. Her mum has never been all that keen on people knowing she craves coziness and warmth and comfort and as she looks from the pile of blankets Vanessa has migrated from her own house to Charity’s to their own she wonders if that’s what’s different about Vanessa. If her mums finally realised that real coziness and comfort doesn’t come from money but from it being given willingly. Then she thinks that maybe she’s overthinking and folds her arms over her chest in annoyance.

“What happened to what’s mine is yours?” Vanessa is smiling that playful smile she has, slightly goofy, she leans down and cups Charity’s face gently. She drops a sweet kiss on waiting lips.

“Well when I said that I was meaning something.” Debbie watches as her mum bites her lip and looks up at her fiance through hooded eyes. “Different.”

Vanessa makes a noise in response that sounds far too guttural for Debbie’s liking so she clears her throat loudly. Her mums green eyes meet hers first, annoyed at the interruption but then Vanessa coughs to hide the way her cheeks heat up just slightly.

“I can leave you to it if you want.”

“No.” Vanessa holds a hand out quickly. “We really appreciate your help.”

“Right.” Charity says pushing herself to her feet and clapping her hands. “Come on then if we want to get this done today.”

Debbie’s eyes find Vanessa’s across the room and they share an incredulous laugh before Vanessa is looking back to her fiance with a grin. “You carried one box over and ever since you’ve been hiding in here.”

“I carried two actually.” There’s an air of hard done by in her mums voice and Debbie can’t help but marvel as Vanessa only laughs good naturedly.

“Mum.” She reprimands and is met by a shrug.

“Someone has to actually start unpacking these otherwise we won’t be able to get in.” She sighs heavily, rubbing at her arm as though it’s in pain. “Besides,” she nods towards Debbie, “younger.” She pauses to rake her eyes up and down Vanessa’s body hotly, shuffling forward to drop a hand on her hip and pull her in. “And fitter. I’d just get in the way.”

Vanessa’s hands immediately wrap around Charity’s waist and she raises her eyebrows playfully as she looks up to meet Charity’s eyes. “Is that right?”

“Yeah.” Her answer is barely a whisper and she pulls Vanessa in for a kiss that is a lot less chaste than the one before.

“Can you two keep it in your pants until we’ve at least got the heavy lifting done?” She interrupts, annoyed even as they giggle when they pull back.

“Hey,” her mum says, voice light with the laughter that laces it, “don’t let her tiny stature deceive you. Vanessa here can do a lot of heavy lifting.”

Debbie gives Vanessa credit for at least trying to look reprimanding towards her mother but she can’t really pull it off. The smile is too big and too goofy and too happy on her face.

“Sorry. Sorry.” She says sincerely. “We’re coming.” She places a finger against her fiance’s lips quickly when she goes to speak, her smile morphing into one of knowing adoration. “Not a word.”

“Me?” There’s faux indignation that lights up her mums face as Debbie watches and then she lets it drop into a mischievous grin as she follows the woman she loves back out of their new house to go get more of their stuff.

She almost dances around Vanessa as they go, excitement making her restless. Debbie can’t help but smile a little as she watches them go back up the road. They haven’t had the easiest of years and Debbie’s starting to think maybe they were always meant to be, her mum and Vanessa, because the more she thinks about it they haven’t had an easy anything. She thinks difficulty is what attracts her mum sometimes, like a magnet. Destruction has surrounded her for most of her life that Debbie doesn’t think she knows how to cope without the rubble beneath her toes.

“Are you actually going to help?” Debbie almost jumps at Noah’s voice in her ear, but she has a stubborn refusal to do that and so just appraises him cooly as he drops a box without a care for what’s in it.

“I am helping.”

“Doesn’t look like it.”

“You due an eye test?” She grumbles, walking away from him where he stands.

-

Debbie watches curiously as Chas wipes at her eyes, annoyed at the tears that falls from them. She shakes her head looking upwards as Paddy looks at her, slightly unknowing, and rubs her back.

“I don’t even know why I’m crying.” Her voice is thick with the tears that won’t stop falling. “I’m just being stupid.”

“I’m only down the road, you daft apeth.” Charity says as comfortingly as she can, a little unknowing as she watches the emotion. She pulls Chas in for a hug and Chas’ eyes squeeze shut just as she squeezes at her cousin.

Debbie hadn’t really thought Chas would care that her mum was going. She’d assumed she’d be relieved, less to get upset about and irate about. Less to shout about. But, Debbie supposes, they are each other’s best friend. And no matter how much Debbie hears Chas utter her mothers name in some form of despair or disappointment, Debbie knows deep down, that Chas will miss Charity more than maybe anyone. And her mum will miss her too. But it’s not like her mum is moving across the country. They’ll get over it.

“Shall we give them a moment?” She hears behind her and turns to see Vanessa watching the scene with an odd amount of emotion on her face.

“Yeah.” She agrees, following Vanessa quietly from the room.

“Think your mum will be okay losing a limb?” Vanessa asks as they amble down the street.

“What?” Debbie frowns down at Vanessa as she bites at her lip worriedly, blue eyes creased in concern.

“Your mum and Chas.” She explains and her voice is slightly breathless from the exertion of their trip. “Think they’ll be alright?”

“Yeah.” Debbie shrugs. “They’re big girls.”

“Hmm.” Vanessa hums thoughtfully, but the worry still leaves shadows behind her eyes.

“They’re still gonna work together.” Debbie says, trying to assange some of the guilt she sees playing at the corners of Vanessa’s frown. She doesn’t quite understand why Vanessa’s so worried about this or why she feels the need to get that look off of Vanessa’s face. But she does know that today is supposed to be happy for her mum and Vanessa. “It’s not like they’re never gonna sit and moan together ever again.”

“Oh, it would take a lot more than a few houses between them to stop that.” Vanessa chuckles, she shuffles the box in her hands, sobering as the worry creeps back in again. “No, I mean, your mum only has a small support network and I can’t help but think I’m taking her away from part of it.”

“You’re only going down the road.” Debbie dismisses off hand. She glances back but her mum isn’t behind them yet.

“I just don’t think people realise how much your mum values support.” The tone of her voice makes Debbie pause. She sounds annoyed and the hard set of her jaw fails to hide it. But then Debbie doesn’t think Vanessa’s trying to hide her annoyance at all. “And needs it.”

“You mean me?” Debbie questions, she feels her heart beat against her ribs with the assumption and the injustice of it.

“I mean everyone.” Steely blue eyes meet Debbie’s over the top of the boxes. “Everyone thinks she’s this heartless, thick skinned, impenetrable bitch.” Vanessa speaks with such force as she spits the words out that it draws them both to a stop in the middle of the road. “And god knows I have never met anyone as hard headed as your mum. But she’s also the only person I’ve ever met who is searching so loudly for someone to love her unconditionally without even saying a word. And she's never been given it.”

Debbie appraises the woman before her. She’d heard stories of Vanessa throughout the village, going toe to toe with men twice her size and coming out on top, butting heads with violent men like her dad without even a second guess. An ankle biter, her mum had described her as, and Debbie wonders if she’s the next in a line of people Vanessa feels the need to tackle to protect someone she loves. She feels like she should be more insulted at the village vet - for wandering into her mums life and assuming pole position. But instead there’s a small trickle of feeling that drips through Debbie as she watches Vanessa not even blink at the silence that spreads between them.

“Until now?” She asks quietly, looking down on Vanessa as her jaw clenches and she nods. “Well good job she has you then isn’t it.”

“And you.” It’s not a question.

“Now she does.” Debbie says after a pause. Something about Vanessa makes her compelled to tell the truth. “She didn’t always.”

“I know.” And just like that the steel has fallen from Vanessa’s demeanour and she leans in comfortingly, despite the boxes between them. “But you’ve had a lot to deal with too.”

But Debbie doesn’t want to think of that. Of Joe and Sarah and her dad and Lisa. “Well we all have.”

“But you know you have your mum. Always.” Vanessa swears it solemnly. “Sometimes I think she’d do just about anything in this world for you kids.”

“I know that.” Debbie can’t help but be defensive there because doesn’t she know it. Her eyes find Pete across the village and she feels sick before she swallows it quickly away. “Sometimes it’s just easier to pretend she wouldn’t.”

Vanessa hums like she really understands and her eyes don’t hold even the slightest bit of judgement as she watches Debbie. “Well, parents are difficult.” 

-

“Is that it?” Noah whines as he drops the box from his hand on top of another. 

“Yep.” Vanessa pops as she puts her own box of toys down. “Last one.”

“Oh thank god.” Charity heaves through a deep breath. “I don’t think I could stomach taking one more box.”

“Er.” Debbie shares a scowl with Vanessa, who rubs a hand over her mothers back comfortingly. “You haven’t. You’ve been here.”

There’s a painful heaviness to Debbie’s arms now after she’s taken so many boxes down the road, and she cracks her neck stubbornly against the feeling in her shoulders. In fairness, her mum had been sorting out the boys rooms and Noah had relegated himself to sorting out his own room and so it had been just her and Vanessa trudging up and down for most of the afternoon. 

“Now we just have to unpack.” Vanessa’s voice is somehow still sprightly.

“Babe, how are you still buzzing? I’m knackered.” Charity seems to gravitate towards her fiancée and Debbie watches as they almost bend around each other, her Mum bending down to lean heavily on Vanessa’s shoulders and Vanessa turning to grasp her hands.

“Because we’re finally going to have our own space.” Her voice is indistinguishable from the smile that lights up her face. “Tonight is our first night in  
home.”

“Yeah, surrounded by boxes and the faint smell of foist.” Charity deadpans, glancing to Debbie and grinning when Debbie only rolls her eyes. “Can’t wait.”

“Oh I’m sure Chas would have you back.” Vanessa says quickly, turning to stare Charity down with her hands on her hips. “The boys and I will stay here. Always fancied double wardrobe to myself.”

“Oh that’s what this has all been about then is it?” And Debbie watches her mum not even blink as she joins in. There’s no insecurity there. It once laced her mum’s entire being but she’s only pulling Vanessa closer, smiling contentedly.

“No. Of course not.” Vanessa’s voice doesn’t even crack but Debbie can see the punchline behind her eyes. “It was for the en suite as well.”

“Oh. The cheek of it.” Charity’s eyes dance as she turns to her children. “I have witnesses here.”

“Yeah. We are still here.” Noah rolls his eyes, looking up from his phone only to scowl at them across the room.

“Better get used to that, Noah.” Debbie teases. “There’s no Chas or Paddy here to back you up. You’re the third wheel now.”

He grunts. “I’d rather that than live with Bear. He keeps hogging the bathroom and then you can’t even go in it for at least another half hour after he leaves.”

“Ew. Noah.” Debbie scrunches her nose, turning away from her brother even as he grins at her disgust.

“Was that? My son?” Charity mocks as she lets go of Vanessa’s waist in favour of testing his temperature playfully. “Saying he wants to live with me.”

“Well.” Debbie injects as Noah fights her off. “He actually only said not Bear.”

“Ohhh.” Vanessa laughs behind them as she opens a box. “At least you’re better than Bear.”

“Hold on.” Charity says loudly as Vanessa and Noah laugh loudly between themselves and Debbie leans back to watch. “I didn’t sign up to be bullied in my own home.”  
“That’s a low bar mum.” Debbie points out and has to dodge out of the way of a blanket her mum throws at her.

“This isn’t fair. You’re supposed to be on my side.” She bemoans as Noah easily dodges out of her way and around the boxes to use Vanessa as a shield from his mother’s threat.

“Someone will get hurt.” Vanessa warns as she’s pulled from side to side by Noah behind her.

“Vanessa can’t save you.” Charity warns and she grasps the water bottle from the side, wielding it like a sword towards her fiancée and her son.

There’s a high pitched squeal that leaves Noah’s throat involuntarily as he ducks behind Vanessa further and Vanessa almost freezes as the water hits her square in the face.

“Oh, babe.” Charity tries for sympathy but the laughter really derails the sincerity.

“You know what this means?” Vanessa asks, wiping at her face. Debbie grasps her own bottle closely as she steps up behind her mum, eyes connecting with Vanessa in understanding. “Debbie’s on my side.”

“Wha-ah!” Charity shouts as the water drips down her spine.

“Wait wait wait.” Vanessa laughs nervously, holding her hands up in defence and backing away as Charity rounds on her. “We’re even now.”

“We absolutely are not.” And she launches her own spray of water towards Vanessa. But she just sucks beneath it and watches it fly through the air to where it lands square in Moira’s chest.

“Are we having a water fight?” Sarah asks eagerly from over her shoulder.

Charity snorts loudly, cackling with her head thrown back as Moira glares. Vanessa can’t keep the smile off of her face but at least she hands a towel to the woman.

“Sorry.” She mutters sheepishly.

“No, we’re not.” Debbie answers her daughter and watches as her excited smile drops. “Nana and Vanessa and Noah were being silly.”

“Er, don’t let her fool you Sarah.” Charity argues. “She’s the one who got me.”

“I was avenging Vanessa.” She shrugs, watching the woman in question usher Moses and Johnny in from where they’d been standing nervously in the doorway holding Moira’s hands. “Noah used her as a human shield.” 

Sarah snorts at him as he looks to Debbie at the injustice of it all. “I did not.”

“You so did!” Vanessa pipes up. “Anyway, now you’re all here.” She takes each of the coats away from the boys shoulders, taking extra care to help Jack stumble out of his. “I was thinking we could order a pizza.”

“Oo, doesn’t that sound lovely.” Moira says as she pulls Sarah into the room proper and Debbie wonders if she’d been dragged away from the farm again.

“There’s nowhere to sit.” Charity objects, looking about the boxes as though a couch is going to appear.

“Carpet picnic.” Vanessa shrugs, reaching for the blankets and kicking boxes to the side to clear a space. “We can all fit in here.”

“Yeah like sardines.” Charity rolls her eyes but she lifts a box away nonetheless.

-

Later, as Debbie’s helping Vanessa clear the boxes away and her mum shepherds Moses and Johnny into pyjamas with the half hearted help of Noah, she thinks that maybe her mum doesn’t have rubble beneath her toes anymore.

Vanessa had managed to round the kids into a circle on the carpet, and between Noah’s objection and Sarah’s scowl Debbie’s sure she’d have given up getting them to try long before Vanessa succeeded. But she’d persisted, stern in the end, and then heaved a sigh into Charity’s side as she took the seat next to her. It was little things like how her mum had immediately wrapped an arm around Vanessa’s shoulder and kissed her head and didn’t once look like it was a chore. She looked like it was her favourite thing to do. Or where she stayed engaged in the entire night, through countless bizarre conversations with Johnny and didn’t look like she was waiting for something more interesting to come along. Debbie thinks that maybe, her mum might have found her own happy ever after.

“I’m glad she found you.” Debbie says to Vanessa as she holds the bin lid open for the woman. 

Vanessa frowns at her before, “Oh.” And then she’s smiling a little self deprecatingly. “You know what your mum’s like. Once she sets her sights she won’t give up.”

“She loves you.” Debbie feels a bit like she’s telling Vanessa that the sky’s blue and the grass is green by the look on her face.

“And I love her.” She shrugs. “We’re good together.”

“Yeah.” Debbie agrees, she looks over her shoulder as her mum comes out to see what’s been taking them so long. “I’m happy for you both.” She tells them and she means it.

“When did you turn into a soppy beggar?” Her mum jokes but Debbie sees the gratitude behind it. She doesn’t tell her mum enough, how much she loves her but she thinks that, sometimes, her mum knows it. “Come on. I’ve found the bottle opener.”

“Is that a bottle of wine you’ve stolen from the Wollie?” Vanessa’s arms fold.

“I can’t steal from myself.” Her mum argues like it’s obvious. “Besides, Chas owes us a leaving present.”

“She bought us the dinner set.”

“That was her house warming present.”

Debbie watches as Vanessa smiles excitedly at her mum and they wonder back into their house together, fingers brushing past each other. And yeah, she thinks, maybe her mum has swept the rubble away to build this with Vanessa. That maybe Vanessa is exactly who her mum has been searching for all this time.

She follows her mum into her new home, smiling as her mum pops the cork and Vanessa gets the glasses.


End file.
